ACBL: Generals fall to Allentown, head to decisive third game

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — If the Trenton Generals are going to advance in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League playoffs, they will have to come back home to do it.

The Generals were unable to close out their Wolff Division semifinal matchup with the Allentown Railers, falling, 4-1, Monday night at ECTB Stadium.

Allentown scored early against the Generals and got solid relief pitching from Jason Henderson to even the best-of-three series at one.

The deciding Game 3 is Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Mercer County Community College.

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“We weren’t ready to play tonight,” said Generals manager Jim Maher. “There weren’t many times this year that has happened. It was very uncharacteristic of our team.”

Henderson was pressed into duty when Railers starter Brandon Shimo left the game in the third inning with an injury.

Henderson, a right hander from Kutztown University (Pa.), came in with a 0-4 record and an ERA over six. But that didn’t seem to bother him as he mowed down the Generals hitters, retiring 12 straight at one point.

Scott Kelly broke the streak with a one-out infield single in the eighth. It was the Generals’ first hit since Eric Strano’s single in the second.

“He pitched in and out and sometimes you have to tip your hat to the pitcher,” Maher said, also alluding that his club has scored just one run in the last 16 innings at ECTB Stadium.

The Railers jumped on Generals starter Sean Kuberiet as the right hander labored in the first inning. He allowed a single and pair of walks to load the bases with one out before Joe Forcellini dumped a two-run single into right.

The Railers again struck for two runs in the fourth. Kuberiet hit Nick Pancerella with one out before giving up back-to-back run-scoring hits to Andy Brandstetter and Jesse Kelso.

Trenton got on the board in second when Strano lined a single up the middle, plating Matt Moceri, who led off with a walk.

Kuberiet, from Rider University, fell to 3-1. He struck out seven in his six innings, but allowed four runs on four hits. He also hurt himself with four walks and a hit batter.

Kuberiet did settle down, working a scoreless fifth and sixth before Tyler Slanovec came in to relieve him. Kuberiet and Slanovec combined to retire 10 in a row until Greg DeSarro led off the eighth with a single.

The winner of Tuesday’s deciding game, which can be heard live on IYMSportsRadio.com, faces either Quakertown or North Jersey in the championship series for the Wolff Division.

Maher will hand the ball to Rutgers University hurler Pat O’Leary for Game 3.

“We’ve had the best record in the league and we’ve earned home field advantage,” Maher said. “We have the home field tomorrow and we have to put this behind us. We got to come to play and if we don’t, it’s over. It would be a shame for as well as we’ve played to be done in the semifinals of our division.”